Volume control device for radioreceivers



Jill 31, 1934. J, CAGGMNQ 1,968,742

VOLUME CONTROL DEVICE FOR RADIOREICEIVERS Filed March 18, 1933 INVENTOR C LQM/A/L c/. (kiss/ 4 A/O.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 31, 1934 "UNITED STATES [P N OFFICE VOLUME ooNrRoL DEVICE FOR RADIO- RECEIVERS Carmine J. Caggiano, Ozone Park,"N. Y,

Application March 18, 1933, Serial No. 661,443

r. Claims. (o1; 250* This invention relates to a volume control device 1 for radio receivers.

One of the features of the invention resides in W a device for manually regulating the passage of J the antenna energy to a radio receiving apparatus, downwardly from its maximum strength, to selectively control the signal strength passing ,to the receiver and thus vary the volume of the sound produced thereby.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a normally broken lead-in conductor to a radio receiver which is closed by physical contact with spaced adjacent terminal ends of the conductor and wherein the degree of compression between M1 the hand of an operator and the terminal ends causes a variance in the antenna energy passing to the receiver, and accordingly produces a corresponding variance in the volume of tone emanating from the sound reproducer of the radio re- .."Z ceiver.

A further object of the invention is to embody in a device of the above kind, a baton provided with a normally open switch in the hand grip portion thereof which is adapted to be clasped e2 by the hand of an operator to bridge the terminals, and by thevarying of the pressure of the fingers of the hand upon the terminals while ,waving the baton in beat time with themusic emanating from a radio receiver, the operator 0 may control the volume of the sound and in so to permit of. the full antenna energy passing to the radio receiver.

A still further object is to provide a device having the above features which is simple of construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and operable by one unskilled in the art of music expression. 7

With these and other objectsin view, the invention resides in the certain features of construction, novel combination and arrangement of parts, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device attached to a radio receiver and supported in the hand of an operator. g

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational'view of a baton constructed in accordance with the w .5 invention.

:the fixed contact 15. which when not in use, the switch may be closed to aninstalled radio apparatus, it is only neces-- radio receiver.

1 a 1 GR Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 isan enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 4.-4 of Figure 3. i Figure 5 isa diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the device is. arranged in a radio antenna circuit. i i 1 Figure 6 is a detailed vertical sectional view of a-modified form. 1

Referring to the drawing by reference characters the numeral 10 designates my invention in its entirety which. includes a baton 11 provided with-a hand grip portionfl12 at one end, in the present instance, the hand grip 12 is shown separate fromthe baton 11 and is detachably confit nected thereto by providing a socket 13 on the inner end of the hand grip section into whicha pin or reduced shank 14 formed on the lower end of the baton section 11 extends. This construction provides a friction fit between the two parts to enable separation of the same for a purpose to be presently explained. The hand grip section 12 is constructed of insulating material and the inner end of the same is reduced and receives a fixed contact element 15 which in the present instance is shown as a metallic ring or ferrule. Slidably mounted upon the hand grip section 12 is a movable contact element 16 also in the form of a metal ring and from which a resilient contact finger 17 extends for contacting engagement with the fixed contact element 15. By the sliding of the contact element 16 upon the hand grip section 12, the resilient contact finger 17 may be moved into and out of contacting engagement with 59 In Figure 5 of the drawing, I have illustrated p the invention as arranged in a radio antenna circuit A, there being a flexible wire 18 connected to the slidable contact element 16 and which in turn is, connected to the lead-in from the radio antenna B, While a flexible wire 19 has one end connected to the fixed contact element 15 and its opposite end to the antenna lead-in terminal C of aradio receiver D. To attach the device saryto break the lead-in wire from the aerial and connect the wire 18 therewith while the wire 19 is connected to the aerial terminal post of the The wires 18 and 19 have sufiicient slack in them to permit of the free use of 1 05 the device in the manner now to be explained. Assume that it is desired to controlthevolume .of the sound produced by the radio receiver, and

bythe fingersof the hand-of an operator.

hand grip section 12 and moves the slidable contact element 16 so that the contact finger 17 is out of engagement with the fixed contact element 15, thus the antenna circuit to the radio receiver is broken. By arranging his fingers about the lower contact element 16, and with his thumb on the fixed contact element 15, the antenna circuit is again closed, but not to the extent of its fullest conductive capacity. It will be appreciated that normally when the movable contact element 16 is out of engagement with the fixed contact element 15 an air gap is created within the antenna circuit which in nature is highly resistant, thereby preventing the passage of the energy picked up by the antenna to the radio receiver. With the fingers or the hand er an operator pressed firmly or lightly across the two contact terminals to bridge the same, the resistance between these contact terminals varies more or less according to the pressure or compression physically applied thereto. Thus the antenna energy transferred to the radio, receiver is increased ordiminished according to the pressure or compressionof the physical contact made When the physical pressure upon the contact terminals is heavy, the volume of the sound produced by the receiver is increased, whereas a light physical pressure imparted to the terminal contacts will cause the radio receiver to produce a lighter volume-of sound. Thus by the variance of this physical pressure, the sound produced by a radio receiver may be selectively controlled, and in practicethe operator may wave the baton in the air similar to an orchestra or band leader to beat the time of the music'emanating from the sound reproducer of the radio receiver. Much enjowment can be derived by the user and others -present may be amused and mystified by the action produced.

When the device or instrument 10 is not in actual use, the movable contact'element 16 may be slid to cause the contact finger 17 thereof to engage the fixed contact '15 whereby the maximum'antenna energy is free 'topass to the radio receiver. Also if desired the baton section 11 may be separated from the hand grip section 12 and a person'seated adjacent the radio may hold the'hand gripsection 12 and manipulate the same in themanner above explained for the purpose of obtaining a better expression of music produced bya radio receiver.

In Figure 6 of the drawing, a slightly modified form of the invention is shown whereinthe hand grip section 12' is provided with a central passage 20 into which an electric cord 21 passes. The 'cord2-1 houses the wires 19' and 18 the former being connected to the'fixed contact element 15 and 'thelatter'to the-movable contact element 16. The sliding contact element 16 is provided with a resilient contact finger 1'7 adapted to engage the contact element 15 and for permitting the wire 18 to move with the movable contact element, a slot 22 1s provided-in the hand grip secvention, "I wish it "to be understood that such changes ascome within thescope of the appended harms may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination, a radio receiving and sound reproducing apparatus, a normally open aerial circuit therefor, a hand grip member, a pair of spaced contact terminals provided on said hand grip member and arranged in said aerial circuit whereby an operator grasping said hand grip member and bridging the spaced contact terminals may by physical pressure manually control the amount of antenna energy passing to said radio receiving and sound reproducing apparatus.

"2. In combination, a radio receiving and sound "reproducing apparatus, a normally open aerial necting said spaced contact terminals when the" hand grip member is released to close the aerial circuit to enable the maximum antenna energy to pass therethrough.

3. In combination, a radio receiving and sound reproducing apparatus, a normally open antenna;

circuit therefor, a baton having a hand grip portion, a-pair of spaced contact terminals provided on the hand grip portion of said baton and arranged insaid antenna circuit whereby an operator by grasping the hand grip portion of said baton and bridging the spaced contact terminals may manually control the amount of antenna energy passing to said radio receiving and sound reproducing apparatus by varying the physical 7 pressure applied to said contact terminals by the operators hand and simultaneously wave said baton in beat time with music'emanating from said radio receiving and sound reproducing apparatus.

4. Ina device of the class described, a hand grip member, a pair of spaced electrical contact elements surrounding said hand grip member and insulated from each other and adapted to be bridged by the hand of an operator grasping said hand'grip member, andwires leading from the L contact elements andadapted to be arranged within'a circuit of the radio receiving apparatus substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5.-In a device of the class described, a hand of contacting engagement with said fixed contact element, said contact elements adapted to be bridgedby the hand of an operator-when out of contacting engagement witheach othergand wires leading from the contact elements and adapted to be arranged within a circuit of a radio receiving apparatus substantially as and for the purpose specified. v

6. A sound control attachment for use in connection with radio receiving apparatus comprising a member having a hand grip portion coni,

structed of insulated material, a hired contact element mounted onthe hand grip portion of said member inwardly of the adjacentend thereof, a movable contact element 'slidab'ly mounted on the hand' grip portion for movement into and out of contacting engagement with said stationary contact element, said contact elements adapted to be bridged by the hand of a person grasping the hand grip portion of said member when the movable contact element is out of contacting engagement with said stationary contacting element, and wires leading from both of the CARMINE J. CAGGIANO. 

